April 5, 2026
Easter Day – Mark S Winward
The Easter Acclamation and Welcome
We Episcopalians are known for our worship being conducted “properly and in good order.” Today is a bit different; today we celebrate the risen Christ! It’s OK this morning to join in the Easter response with spirit and gusto as if your hometown team won the championships!
“Alleluia! Christ is risen!”
[The congregation responds: “The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!”]
Well, that is quite good for this early on a Sunday morning! Now, I realize that there are many people who do not make it to church every Sunday—perhaps only twice a year. I once heard those who fall into that category referred to as CEOs. I don’t mean Chief Executive Officers, though I suspect we have a few of those here as well. In this context, it stands for “Christmas and Easter Onlys.” Whether you are a CEO, an infrequent attendee, or a regular, please know that we are absolutely delighted to have you here this beautiful Easter morning.
The Human Need for Victory
Throughout the country today, churches and chapels are packed. Have you ever wondered why people flock to church, at least on these major holidays? In his book The Jesus I Never Knew, Philip Yancey suggests that at a fundamental level, we as humans want—no, we need—this story to be true.
April 4, 2026
The Great Vigil of Easter – Mark S Winward
The Easter Proclamation
Alleluia. Christ is risen! [The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!]
Let’s try that again. Alleluia. Christ is risen! [The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!]
Just one more time. Alleluia. Christ is risen! [The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!]
That acclamation is known all over the world, and it lies deep at the heart of our identity as Christians.
The Unextinguishable Faith
Around 1930, the Communist leader Nikolai Bukharin traveled from Moscow to Kiev to address a massive assembly. His purpose was to prove the validity of a central tenet of his party: atheism. For a solid hour, he hurled ridicule and every argument he could muster against the “superstitious” faith of the people. Finally, he finished and paused to survey what he assumed were the smoldering ashes of their faith. “Are there any questions?” Bukharin smugly demanded.
A solitary, courageous man arose and asked permission to speak. He mounted the platform and moved close to the Communist leader. The audience was breathlessly silent as the man surveyed them—first to the right, then to the left. At last, he shouted the ancient Orthodox greeting: “CHRIST IS RISEN!” The vast assembly arose as one, and the response came crashing like a literal avalanche: “HE IS RISEN INDEED!”
The Holy Fire of Jerusalem
Every Easter in the Eastern Orthodox Church,
April 3, 2026
Good Friday – Mark S Winward
The Question of Blame
Who in the world is responsible for this outrage? Naked, beaten, and rejected, the greatest teacher in history comes to Jerusalem preaching the love of God and neighbor, only to be put to death in the most gruesome and demeaning way imaginable. Who is to blame? Some say the Jews—a response that has fueled much of the persecution of Jewish people throughout the ages. Others insist the Romans were responsible for this travesty. I want to suggest this afternoon a different way of looking at this question.
The Role of Religious and Secular Authorities
Despite their corruption, I don’t think we can completely blame the Jewish religious establishment. On more than one occasion, Jesus had publicly proclaimed that “he and the Father were one” and that “no one comes to the Father except by him.” Yet the Law of Moses clearly stated that to claim equality with God was blasphemy—and the Law dictated that the penalty for blasphemy was death.
Neither can we blame the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, despite his apparent apathy. After all, the religious officials turned Jesus over to Pilate to carry out the Law. More importantly, Pilate allowed the people the opportunity to free Jesus.
A Choice of Obedience
Ah, then it must have been the people, right? The people bear the blame for executing Jesus Christ! But let me ask you: if Jesus was who he said he was,
March 29, 2026
The Sunday of Passion: Palm Sunday – Mark S. Winward
The Paradox of the Palms
As we reflect on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and his ultimate death on the cross this Palm Sunday, I want to suggest that the palms we blessed this morning are more than just greenery; they are tangible symbols of our faith, our sin, and our redemption. Even in the midst of betrayal, pain, and tragedy, God’s grace will not be thwarted. It stands out in the darkness as a beacon of hope.
Today, we recall that triumphal entry of Jesus on a donkey, processing up the road to Jerusalem strewn with palms while the crowd proclaimed: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” Yet, the contrast is jarring. Just a few days later, those same people will be shouting, “Crucify him!” In less than a week, raised hands of praise transform into shaking fists of condemnation. Each year, many Christians throughout the world act out this drama on the only Sunday that rightly bears two titles: Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday. As we hold these palms, we find a tangible connection with that crowd—a connection that both glorifies and condemns Jesus. These palms represent the mystery of our own salvation and our own blame. The same crowd that glorifies him also betrays him, and you and I might just as well be standing among them.